Reconnaissance mainly in the Portsmouth – Southampton area.

Night: Widespread attacks on industry and airfields from Lincolnshire to Portsmouth.

Weather: Rain in central and eastern England. Some cloud in the Channel and haze over Dover Straits.

Enemy Action by Day

The day began with poor weather across much of Britain. Rain and low cloud covered central and eastern England, and haze hung over the Dover Straits. The unsettled conditions limited enemy operations during the morning. Nonetheless, Luftwaffe reconnaissance flights were detected along much of the south coast, particularly in the Portsmouth–Southampton area. British radar and Observer Corps reports tracked several of these flights, most conducted by single aircraft.

Around midday, a small formation crossed North Foreland and turned south, heading toward Dover. RAF fighters intercepted and destroyed a Do 215. Additional reconnaissance aircraft were reported over Dover and Ramsgate, as well as farther west toward Plymouth and the Portland–Portsmouth corridor. A reconnaissance aircraft was shot down near Chelmsford. Another was intercepted near Warmwell by Hurricanes of No. 238 Squadron from Middle Wallop and was destroyed; the aircraft crashed near Tavistock in Devon.

At approximately 12:00 hours, radar picked up a German formation approaching from the direction of Cherbourg. No. 10 Group scrambled two squadrons, including Spitfires of No. 152 Squadron from Warmwell, which engaged Ju 88s off the Dorset coast. During the engagement, Maj. Wolfgang Schellmann of Stab./JG 2 shot down a Spitfire, scoring his tenth victory. Two Ju 88s were damaged, with one failing to return.

Aside from these engagements, the rest of the day saw only limited enemy activity. By the afternoon, the weather remained a factor, and no large-scale bombing raids developed. Fighter Command pilots, many flying from rain-soaked, waterlogged airfields, experienced a relative lull in operations.

Continued Debate Over Fighter Tactics

While enemy air activity remained relatively light, internal RAF debate continued over the merits of different interception tactics. At Uxbridge, Air Vice Marshal Keith Park met with Air Vice Marshal Sholto Douglas to discuss concerns regarding No. 12 Group’s use of the “Big Wing” formation championed by AVM Leigh-Mallory. Park raised specific objections about delays in scrambling No. 12 Group squadrons during the previous day’s attack on Debden. Despite the enemy’s slower speed and longer approach route, Park noted, Duxford-based squadrons failed to intercept the bombers in time, whereas a single squadron—No. 310 (Czech)—had succeeded. The discussion highlighted ongoing disagreements within Fighter Command at a critical point in the air campaign.

Enemy Action by Night

After dark, Luftwaffe operations increased sharply. The first raids began at approximately 21:25 hours and continued until 03:00 hours. Bombers crossed the Channel at multiple points, with the heaviest traffic following a route from Beachy Head across London and onward to Birmingham and Coventry. London Central was under red warning for much of the night.

Widespread bombing occurred across the Midlands, East Anglia, Kent, Surrey, Lincolnshire, Norfolk, South Wales, Middlesbrough, the Aberdeen area, and along the Channel coast. Major industrial cities, including Bristol and Birmingham, came under renewed attack.

At 23:00 hours, raids on Bristol included Do 17s from KGr 606 and He 111s from III./KG 27, which dropped bombs on military targets and industrial facilities. Plymouth endured repeated attacks from 21:35 hours until 04:00 hours, with over 50 high-explosive bombs dropped and extensive use of incendiaries across Cornwall. Minor damage was reported at Millbay Dock and other sites, though most fires were brought under control by morning.

In the north, bombs fell on Stockton-on-Tees, Middlesbrough, and Port Clarence. Reports of parachute landings near West Hartlepool and Stockton triggered Home Guard alerts and led to church bells being rung in Norton, but no evidence of landings was found.

By early morning, between 04:00 hours and 04:40 hours, several raids were detected over the Thames Estuary. These were believed to involve minelaying aircraft. Additional minelaying was suspected between the Wash and the Tees, and off the coasts of Plymouth, Whitby, and Kinnaird’s Head.

Bomb Damage and Casualties

In Portsmouth, a single enemy aircraft machine-gunned the dockyard signal tower, though no casualties were reported. In Kent, dive bombers struck Gillingham at approximately 01:45 hours on the 28th, damaging homes and starting sixteen fires. Incendiary bombs were dropped in large numbers, and early reports listed at least nine dead and seven others missing.

In Birmingham, the BSA Small Arms Works at Smallheath sustained serious damage from bombing that began at 23:23 hours on the 26th and continued into the early hours of the 27th. Fires were reported at the Dunlop Rubber Company, the Castle Bromwich Aero Factory, Humber Works, and other industrial facilities. Firefighting efforts continued through the night, with most fires extinguished by 06:55 hours.

Elsewhere, minor damage was reported at numerous RAF stations, including Biggin Hill, Cranfield, Cottesmore, and Catfoss. A relief landing ground at Harlaxton suffered minor bomb damage to flare paths and navigation beacons.

RAF losses were minimal during the day, and total ground casualties from enemy action were recorded as 37 killed and 102 injured.

German Losses:
Airmen: 12 | Aircraft: 11

British Losses:
Airmen: 4 | Aircraft: 7

Blenheim, No. 248 Squadron
P/O C.J. Arthur listed as missing.
http://www.bbm.org.uk/airmen/ArthurCJ.htm
Sgt. E.A. Ringwood listed as missing.
http://www.bbm.org.uk/airmen/Ringwood.htm
Sgt. R.C.R. Cox killed.
http://www.bbm.org.uk/airmen/CoxRCR.htm
Crashed into the sea while on routine flight.

Hurricane N2336, No. 213 Squadron
Sub/Lt W.J.M. Moss. Listed as missing.
http://www.bbm.org.uk/airmen/MossWJM.htm
Believed lost control of his aircraft during patrol and crashed into sea.

Photo Descriptions

1. The controlled detonation of a German bomb, which fell on the parade ground at RAF Hemswell, Lincolnshire, on 27 August 1940. The bomb did not explode, but buried itself deep in the ground where it was subsequently destroyed by the Station Armament Officer. © IWM (CH 1300)
2. The remains of Heinkel He 111H-2 (Werke/Nr. 5367 V4+CD) of Stab III./KG 1, which crashed into houses at Manor Avenue in Caterham, Surrey on the night of 26/27 August 1940 after suffering a direct hit from anti-aircraft fire during a night mission to bomb factories in the Coventry area.